UhGuys?
by that-chick-with-purple-hair
Summary: Somethings affecting the men of the warehouse! Side note: Dark themes.
1. Chapter 1

Uh…Guys?

Summary: Something's affecting the men of W13. Dark themes.

Authors note: Hello everyone! All right so this is a story completely unrelated to Love is in the Air. In this story those events did not occur. Also this is a post Mc Pherson pre H.G. story. Enjoy!

'Hmm, what kinds of toys are there around here for me to play with?' the entity thought as it floated along through the warehouse. It was bursting with excitement; it had been almost a thousand years since it was imprisoned in that damned box, and about five hundred since it was able to escape for a short time. Spying Pete the invisible consciousness flew toward him. 'Ah this one will do nicely.' the entity smiled inwardly.

"Hey Myka!" Pete yelled over his shoulder as he looked around. He had the strangest feeling.

"Yeah?" Myka responded from a different row but still close by. They tended to stick together when doing inventory.

"Um, it's probably nothing but…" Pete stopped as he felt a sudden crushing pain in his mind. He gave a silent shout and then as quickly as it came the pain was gone.

"But?" Myka said heading toward him. "Oh my gosh, Pete! Are you okay?" She yelled as she found Pete on his knees white as a sheet in the middle of the aisle.

"But…I got a really bad vibe Myka." Pete breathed as he looked up at her. "You didn't have random migraine pain just now did you?" Pete asked squinting in the light.

"No, what did you touch?" Myka fixed him with a hard look that meant no lying.

"Nothing…much." Pete said with a guilty look.

"Come on lets go talk to Artie." Myka said not about to let Pete shrug this off.

'Damn it!' the entity thought, 'I'm too weak.' It continued to hover towards the other end of the warehouse, when it spotted a young girl with a green stripe in her hair. 'Hmm what a delicious morsel.' The creature thought, 'If I was back in my body, oh the things I would do with her.' The creature was filled with desire and renewed anger at not being able to take over the young man. It followed the red head into an office where an older man was sitting at a desk, he seemed to be yelling at her for something, but she didn't seem bothered.

"Artie, I'm sorry the music box broke but it's not like I used telekinesis to pull it of the top shelf just to mess with you! I was nowhere near it, blame gravity." She was saying as she leaned back in her chair propping her feet up on the desk. "Besides nothing happened when it broke anyway. Hey can artifacts lose their atrifactiness over time?" She asked cocking her head sideways as the thought occurred to her.

"Depends on the artifact…" Artie stopped before he could even get on a roll. His head felt crammed full and over crowded, it hurt worse than when his appendix almost killed him. He came to with Claudia leaning over him clutching his shirt and calling his name. They were on the floor. He didn't even realize he'd fell.

"Artie you okay? What happened?" Claudia was terrified and confused which was the worst combination of emotions in her opinion.

"Probably the same thing that happened to Pete." Myka said from the office doorway a disheveled Pete leaning on her. She helped Pete over to the couch. Claudia followed with Artie. With the guys on the couch the girls pulled some chairs up and started quizzing them.

"Pete, tell me everything you messed with!" Myka began, looking determined.

"Oh well I…" He stopped as Claudia cut him off.

"Artie what all artifacts can cause headaches and only affect men?" She too looked determined; in fact both women seemed to mirror one another.

Artie and Pete shared a glance that roughly meant, 'When did they become so worried about us?' 'I don't know but let's try not to piss them off.' They tried to reassure the women of their lives. It didn't work. Myka continued to drill Pete while Claudia dragged Artie over to the computer and started a search.

'Why can't I penetrate their minds? Surely my abilities haven't diminished this much.' The entity thought as it watched the humans tackle the puzzle he left. Then he saw the box lying there broken on the table. 'No more music.' It thought with combined shock and glee. 'No more music!' It wanted to shout, but happiness quickly left it as it tried to remember how it felt to possess a human body, how it felt to shout. It wanted so much. It watched the mortal men with envy. It silently cursed them every time the strong one accidentally brushed against the tall elegant women or as the older one leaned over the tiny pretty girls shoulder to better see the strange object in front of her. It looked at its former prison. 'The music no longer pulls me in but the box itself is broken. All this time was it the box that held my visage together when it was opened?'

The creature halted its musings as another woman entered. This one was lovely also but the creature noticed something odd in her. And what was even stranger was that she seemed to notice him.

Entering Artie's office Leena was greeted by the usual sight, Myka and Pete having a heated discussion while Claudia and Artie were bent over a computer screen naming several different artifacts in a hurry. But there was something unusual too. Pete and Artie's aura's looked wounded, even bruised.

"Guys, what happened to you?" She asked, her brow drawn in confusion. She listened as Myka and Pete talked over each other trying to clue her in, while Artie half heartedly mumbled an explanation over his shoulder, Claudia's attention was focused solely on her computer. Then Leena froze as she sensed something in the corner close to the ceiling. It was dark and powerful, and its intentions were as bad as they come. It started toward her. Frightened she scrambled backward.

"Guys over there its invisible! There's a …" The whole room watched in horror as Leena clutched her head and writhed with pain. Her mouth was open like she was screaming but no sound came out. And then suddenly, crouched on the floor, she became still. Slowly she looked up at all her friends.

The entity had sensed a kind of doorway in this woman. She seemed to be able to see what other mortals couldn't and it used that to enter her mind. 'I would prefer a male but you will have to do I suppose.' It spoke into her mind. 'Hmm perhaps I can still have a bit of fun.' It said thinking of the two other lovely women in the room. 'I'll just use your increased psychic abilities. So much potential power in you and almost completely untapped.' It thought laughing at her weak attempts to regain control.

Artie watched as Leena looked up at him, her eyes seemed to glow, and then he felt a presence inside his head. He was overcome with lust and passion and ecstasy. It was like he had never really felt, anything before that second. His five senses seemed completely new to him and incredibly heightened. But that was wrong, he knew what breathing felt like, he had blinked before, what was happening to him. Just a few feet away after looking into her strange eyes Pete was feeling similar sensations.

Pete and Artie stood completely still staring at Leena and not really seeing her. Pete was brought out of his catatonia when he felt faint warm breath on his neck. He turned to see a beautiful woman looking past him, not noticing him. Breathing deeply Artie caught a whiff of mangos; his mouth watered as he saw the smell was coming from the petite young woman sitting by him. It was her chap stick he knew, because he saw her put it on just a few moments ago. But wait he knew this girl, he was positive he did.

"Leena?" Myka took a few steps forward but was stopped as Pete clutched her arm. "Pete I need to see if she's alright!" Myka pulled trying to move away. But Pete just held on tighter. "Pete that hurts…"Myka started to yell but trailed off seeing the new way Pete was looking at her. "Pete?" She whispered. Hearing something break she looked over her shoulder to see Arties desk lamp on the floor in pieces. He and Claudia were opposite each other circling the desk. Both Pete and Artie seemed hollow and far away.

"Um Myka I think Artie lost his marbles! Pete still got his?" She asked not taking her eyes off Artie.

"Uh, no his are pretty much all gone too!" She shouted back as Pete threw his free arm around her waist and yanked her close to him. "Pete I'm so sorry!" Myka pleaded right before she kneed him in the groin. The pain seemed to wake him up a little because after she did that Pete remembered her name was Myka, and remembered Myka liked to hit him.

Sidestepping Pete, avoiding Leena, and dodging Artie, Myka ran to grab Claudia's hand and drug her along behind as she bolted down to the warehouse. The two of them made a dash for a safe quiet place to get their heads together.

-Tune in next time to find out how Leena and the gang get out of this pickle!-

Please tell me what you think via review! They make my day!


	2. Chapter 2

Author's note: Hey readers! I'm so sorry I took so long continuing; I won't bore you with excuses. On to the story!

"Myka…Myka!" Claudia yelled, she was tired and her lungs were burning, but Myka just ignored her and kept her wrist in a vice grip as she pulled her along. Annoyed, confused, and feeling that she had the right to be a bit stubborn Claudia dug her heels in the ground and leaned all her weight away from Myka. Not expecting the sudden change Myka nearly tripped.

"Alright Claudia you've got my attention, but be quick I think we should keep moving." She spoke in a hushed tone as if their three friends were eves dropping.

"Yeah I noticed." Claudia grumbled as she leaned against the nearest shelf, "Myka I gotta take a breather!" She huffed. Feeling a bit winded herself Myka nodded, and then promptly began analyzing the scene that unfolded just a few minutes ago. It didn't make sense, she laughed at that statement, why should this problem make sense, after all look where she worked. Deep in thought Myka jumped as Claudia spoke.

"What happened back there?" Claudia's breathing seemed to even out a bit. "One minute I was watching Leena then the next Artie had this look…" She looked much more childlike when she was frightened. Myka thought about it a minute more before speaking.

"Something…possessed them. Though I think it took Leena over first, but why? And what about Pete and Artie's headache?" Myka trailed off and glared at nothing, aggravated. Claudia let out a sigh, and then felt the hair on the back of her neck prickle.

"Myka?" Claudia whispered, her head swiveling from one end of the aisle to the other and back. It was cold in the warehouse, she had goose bumps. Was that a footstep she heard? A quiet breath? She turned to give Myka a questioning look when she saw zombie Pete on the other side of the shelf Myka was leaning on. He was staring at Myka his hand slowly reaching for her hair. She was just about to shout for Myka to move but she beat her to it.

"Claudia! Behind you!" Myka bellowed reaching for her tesla. Claudia screamed as hands swung around her and trapped her against the shelf. The panic fading slightly Claudia's eyes scrambled wildly looking for Pete as she struggled but he wasn't anywhere to be seen. Myka was trying to reason with Artie, aiming the tesla at him. Suddenly a Pete sized figure landed behind Myka and slammed the tesla out of her grip. Belatedly Claudia realized he must have climbed over the shelf. Myka and Pete fought as Claudia kicked and squirmed desperately. Myka swung, Pete ducked, Pete lunged and both went down. Very suddenly the hand-to-hand fight had turned into a wrestling match, and it looked like Pete was winning. Claudia stared, feeling helpless, as Pete pinned Myka's arms and stared at her, a nobody-behind-the-wheel look plastered on his face.

Claudia did a double take as a very malicious looking Leena stepped into the aisle and slowly started walking toward them, an un-Leena like smile contorting her features. Claudia could feel Artie's breath on her neck. Feeling around the shelf below the one that was currently crushing her spine she grabbed the first thing her fingers touched. Muttering a little apology Claudia craned to the side and sprayed Artie with super sticky silly string. Artie released her as he tried, and failed, to dodge. Claudia turned on Leena, dousing her in the sticky string too then she ran over and gave Pete a vicious kick to the ribs, apologizing loudly as she helped Myka to her feet.

"Oh dude, oh man! Sorry!" Claudia winced as she heard Pete groan, she and Myka were running again taking the most confusing course Claudia had ever used in the warehouse. But strangely they didn't go as far this time. She glanced at Myka not needing to voice her question; Myka's only reply was to put her finger to her lips in the universal sign of shut-the-hell-up. Claudia did and before long she heard them.

"GAH! Idiots! Get me out of this!" The evil version of Leena screeched. Pete moaned as he tried to get up, clutching his ribs. He put on the purple gloves he had in his pocket and started to free his captor in a daze. His ribs hurt, Claudia could really kick. Claudia? Claudia! Pete froze as he woke from his foggy state and realized he still wasn't in control. He glanced at Leena who was glaring at him silently. He pretended to still be enthralled.

"Don't, for one second, believe I don't see what's in your mind." Leena whispered in a low and deadly tone. The strange light flashed in her eyes again and pain seared Pete's mind and spine before he was released and started working again. Soon enough the entity and it's new host were free. Pete went over to free Artie as well, the Leena puppet glaring over his shoulder the entire time. When Myka was satisfied they wouldn't say anything else she motioned for Claudia to follow her and, hunched over, they crept away.

"Okay Claudia here's what we're gonna do." Myka whispered as they moved silently through the warehouse. "There are only three things that could have caused this, the new artifact that hasn't been shelved yet, the one Pete was playing with, or the one you broke." She said matter o factly.

"Hang on, how do you know?" Claudia struggled to keep up with long legged Myka.

"I always keep a pretty close eye on Pete and even though he messed with stuff when my back was turned, nothing was out of place or seemed, you know, on when his head pain started." Her eyes kept darting here and there expecting the new Leena to leap out at them. "What does the new one do?"

Myka asked.


	3. Chapter 3

It's me the author! : Hey guys! Just wanted to tell you how excited I am about this particular story it's my first multiple chapter story! Woo! Right, enough of that, more story!

Myka kept thinking about that vacant look on Pete's face, he just seemed hypnotized. She and Claudia were moving quickly but quietly in the direction of Artie's office. The plan was to inspect the three artifacts on Arties desk. If this isn't a vibe then I don't know what is, she thought. Claudia threw her arm out in front of Myka. They stood there for a second listening. It was quiet; all Myka could hear was her and Claudia's breathing until…

"There!" Claudia whispered pointing back the way they came. It didn't sound like anyone was too close but the were defiantly on their trail. They speed up, winding their way through the maze like warehouse.

The entity followed the women silently; occasionally it would step louder to spur them on. The entity was impatient; it sent part of its consciousness into Pete and Artie to see if they were ready. In this state the creatures mind was split between three people, it could see everything its slaves saw and feel everything they felt and control their every actions. Of course its hold wasn't as secure when it did this but contact was crucial to maintain control. Pete and Artie were already set to intercept the women it was time to make its presence known. It smiled as it pushed its mortal hosts body as fast as it would go.

Myka and Claudia were just reaching the end of the canned food aisle, as Pete called it, when they heard pounding footsteps from behind and before they could react there was Leena bounding towards them with a cruel smile on her face. Myka ran pulling Claudia with her. They were running at break neck speed when, in the gap between aisles, Pete sprang out and crashed into Myka. Myka scrambled up and shoved Claudia forward out of Pete's reach. She tried to run but fell as Pete clutched her ankle. She yelled at the frozen Claudia to get to Arties office, before rolling on her back and kicking Pete. Freeing herself from the stunned Pete she heard a muffled scream behind her. As she turned she only just saw Artie carrying a squirming Claudia around the corner, his hand clamped over her mouth. She yelled and ran but was stopped as Pete grabbed her from behind.

Claudia screamed as a hand covered her mouth and dragged her into another row. Artie spun her around to look her up and down. His eyes looked so strange, it was like it wasn't even him looking at her. She was so struck by his odd eyes she didn't notice the handcuffs he pulled out till it was to late. Artie leaned close to Claudia's face giving Claudia a good view of his eyes; she could only describe them as foggy.

"I know you." He said searching her face.

"Yes! Yes Artie it's me! It's Claudia!" She all but yelled at him feeling slightly relieved that he was in there still. But he still looked uncertain. "Come on you know! I'm the clumsy girl who always calls you old man and gramps and geezer!" She nodded her eyes pleading. She shifted her weight and accidentally bumped into a tiny porcelain ballerina figurine, Artie watched it wobble twice before falling to the floor and shattering. Something clicked in Artie's mind, as he was overwhelmed with the urge to reprimand her.

"Claudia? Oh God. What's happened?" He said quickly letting her go when he saw how tight he'd been holding her. "And be careful!" He couldn't help acknowledge the broken artifact at his feet. He put his hand to his mouth in shock when he saw the handcuffs. He would have taken them off if an extremely angry Leena hadn't just stepped into view.

'You will be punished.' A cold shrill voice said in Artie's head. He shouted and yelled, as sharp pain seemed to stab his mind and up and down his spine. 'Get her!' the voice ordered and Artie's hands shot out and clamped down on the young girls arms. She yelped, it felt like her bones would bruise. Looking into her mentors' eyes Claudia's spirit plummeted when she was meet with a glazed over expression. She started as the Leena puppet put a cold hand under her chin and made her face it.

"Lovely, but I'm afraid you'll have to be punished too." It smiled widely.

'What a pretty thing.' The creature thought then winced as it felt a pin prick in its mind. The pitiful women whose body it had inhabited was trying to fight back. The entity drowned her consciousness in pain but as soon as its attention was occupied she resisted again causing its head to ache slightly, nothing crippling. The monster ignored it.


	4. Chapter 4

UG Part 4

Author's note: Hello again, ok so I'm so sorry I've been taking so long! But fear not! For I will never abandon my stories! …Well … not until they're finished anyway.

Myka regained consciousness as they neared the office. She was in Pete's arms, Artie was dragging Claudia by her cuffed hands and the Leena knock off was following behind. Well, she thought, we're done for. She pretended to still be unconscious hoping inspiration would suddenly strike. No such luck. She felt Pete stop and heard a small commotion in front of her. Leena brushed by her as she headed to the front of the group. Claudia must be causing trouble; Myka chanced a glance and saw that Claudia had been struggling.

Myka's eyes shot open as Leena slapped Claudia. Filled with fury Myka had to remind herself that this was the entity and that attacking it would just hurt Leena. Also she figured she'd only get one punch in before Pete got her. She hastily closed her eyes as Leena walked past again. Artie watched as his master slapped his prisoner, something twitched in his mind. He felt protective; he lowered his head as his master eyed him.

The group was nearing the stairs that would take them to the office, and what had the monster cooked up for them? Claudia didn't plan on finding out. I just needed to get through to Artie, she thought. Artie dragged Claudia into the office, followed closely by Pete. Well do or die, Claudia whispered. Following Artie, Claudia suddenly pivoted shoving her whole body back against Pete. Myka felt Claudia slam into her. Pete rocked back into Leena, dropping his prisoner. Myka jumped up and slammed the office door, leaving Leena on the outside glaring at her through the wooden blinds.

"Claudia the artifact!" Myka yelled.

"No! Get the artifact!" Leena screeched. Pete and Artie both went for the music box on Arties desk, but Claudia got it first.

"Claudia!" Myka yelled as she yanked Pete back.

"I can fix it!" Claudia yelled as she backed away. First she'd have to get Artie out of the way. Artie was advancing slowly toward her, a leer on his face that matched the one on Leena's. She panicked for a second as she realized she couldn't back up anymore.

"Artie! Don't be an idiot! Are you just going to roll over and let this thing possess you? Come on, use your brains, you know fight will against will…or maybe…talk it to death, I don't know just try!" Artie slowed, Claudia took this opportunity to tinker with the music box, as she circled around her dazed friend.

"Pete come on you know I don't want to hurt you but I will if I have to." Myka said following Claudia's lead. "Pete? Pete, remember when the spine attached itself to you? You suppressed your anger so you wouldn't hurt anybody? Please you've got to fight now like you did then!" Myka pleaded. Pete stopped, a question on his lips.

'Obey me!' The entity shouted into its two thrall's minds. It pushed its will on them with all its strength. Pete and Artie simultaneously clutched their heads, their faces contorting as they endured whatever punishment the creature was inflicting.

"Claudia, I'm seeing a second wind situation in our future!" Myka warned.

"I'm working on it! This is a little slow without any tools!" She didn't see much wrong with it the musical mechanism inside; the only thing broken was the box. "Are we sure that this is it?" She asked as Artie got to his feet.

"Yes! It has to be!" She said dodging Pete.

'Enjoy your new toys.' The entity whispered in Pete and Artie's minds. Leena practically screamed her protest in the monsters mind. The creature shielded its mind from hers, effectively silencing her.

"Myka I need glue or something!" Claudia shouted, deciding that if this was their guess than she'd better fix every little problem no matter how insignificant. Looking around she stopped as she saw some left over sticky string on Arties coat. Claudia set the box down on the table beside her. "Artie, I can stop this." She said her voice uneven and anxious. He stalked up to her, smiling.

"Claudia!" Myka yelled as she tried to get around a similarly focused Pete who was backing her into a corner.

Hi! Ok I estimate I'll have about one more chapter to upload, two at the most. And I'll try not to take so long this time! So please feel free to review! I love to get reviews!


	5. Chapter 5

Authors note: Hello again everyone! First I must apologize for disappearing on you! I am very sorry! I wish I could say I took so long for the sake of suspense but really I'm to blame. I've been…distracted (she said mysteriously), but I promise that this story will have its conclusion by Friday at the latest! And honestly for those of you who've been waiting, I feel terrible for it! *Hangs head* But Never again, will I take so long!


	6. Chapter 6

"Artie, I'm sorry this will be uncomfortable for you later." Claudia mumbled as Artie reached for her.

"Claudia? What are you doing?" Myka shoved Pete back trying to see Claudia; she knew Artie would never forgive himself if he hurt her. But she couldn't spare her attention any longer. Pete dove at her slamming her into the door where the entity watched through Leena's eyes.

"Yes my servants, play." The entity laughed. Leena still struggled with all her might against the creature's barrier but to no avail.

"Pete! Wake up!" Myka screamed, as he pressed hard against her. His lips came crushing down on hers, intense and hungry. Myka squirmed under his pressure and bit his lip, a drop of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth. Pete's eyes looked into hers. He pulled away a bit and gazed at her, confused.

"No my servants, play. Don't mind their objections, play. Enjoy your game." The entity tempted. It appeared to work because Pete took to exploring Myka's face and neck with his lips, though he was gentler than a moment before.

Myka heard Claudia squeal and saw Artie trap her, over Pete's shoulder. Claudia was trying to wriggle her arms free from Artie's grasp as he pressed her against a filing cabinet. 'What if I can't get my arms free? We'll all be at this things mercy.' Claudia started to panic as the thought occurred to her. Then Artie released her arms and began running his hands over her body, starting with her back and moving to her waist then sliding over her hips.

Artie was mesmerized by the contours of her body, of this strangely familiar young woman in front of him. He leaned in close to her and breathed in the sweet scent of mangos. He slid his hands down her back and pulled her closer, ignoring any protest just as his master told him. Looking at her pretty face Artie grasped her chin and tilted it up to better see her eyes witch looked everywhere but at him. Leaning close Artie kissed her softly, she became still and if he were himself at that moment he would have noticed a slight touch on his shoulder.

Claudia froze as Artie kissed her; this was so not how she pictured her day going. But quickly she realized this is just what she needed, Artie was distracted and Claudia took this opportunity to snatch some sticky string off his shoulder. Now, Claudia thought, I just need to get to the table where the artifact lay. Claudia's heartbeat quickened as she mentally braced herself for what she was going to do.

"Hmm what is this?" The entity thought as it felt the red headed girl cease her struggle, it mistrusted this.

Artie's consciousness was wrapped in the happy sensations of the entity when suddenly the young woman threw her arms around his neck and pressed up against him kissing him quite harshly. The force of her sudden affection nearly made him fall, though he regained balance leaning against a table. He pulled back and looked at her face, she gave an uneasy smile and pushed his lips to her neck as she reached around his back to tinker with the music box. She frowned as she realized reaching around Artie's frame would be difficult. Some one's been sneaking cookies again, she thought to herself angrily.

Puppet Artie's hands returned to roaming her body when his master suddenly shouted. "Fool! The girl! Stop her!" It could already feel its will fading. Leena's attacks suddenly felt terribly powerful; the monster cringed in her body, it's consciousness slipping in and out of its thralls.

Pete broke free as the entity's control wavered, he stepped back quickly staring worriedly at Myka, her hair and clothes were askew; he blushed. "Claudia! Now!" Myka shouted.

Claudia nearly had it completely fixed accept for one small piece that needed to be put into place, but Artie was no longer gentle. The creature escaped from Leena's power into Artie's mind where she could not go.

Claudia looked up at Artie as his hands clamped down painfully on her ribs, without hesitation he picked her up and shoved her down on the sofa, climbing on top of her. Claudia couldn't help but stare at his eyes they seemed to glow, and this person didn't even remotely resemble Artie anymore, she was caught like a deer in headlights. The creature loomed over her and smiled. "Hello pretty girl, lets play." It whispered cruelly.

Pete ran towards Artie, as Myka leapt for the artifact. Pete yanked up the Artie doll preparing to deck it, but it offered no resistance and seemed to deliberate on protecting itself and letting itself be stopped. Pete guessed this was Artie trying to stop it. "It's what Artie would want." He said through gritted teeth as he hit Artie square on the jaw. Artie collapsed. Pete turned to see Myka breathing heavily over the now repaired music box, it was open and a few sweet notes were all that they heard for several minutes.

Artie awoke in his office to a worried Claudia sitting by his side. "CLAUDIA!" Artie shouted reaching for her but not quite touching her. "Are you alright? I'm so sorry I couldn't, couldn't stop it! I'm so so sorry." He looked down pain in his voice.

"Hey dude, relax I know it wasn't you. It's okay." She said trying to comfort him.

"No it's not, where's that, that thing?" Artie sounded vicious, Claudia winced as that tone reminded her of zombie Artie and pointed to the music box. Artie started toward it when Myka stopped him.

"Artie, here. We didn't want to touch it." Myka said as she held out a can of neutralizing agent. Artie took it and had a proper look around. Claudia sat on the footstool her back turned, Leena sat pale faced in Artie's chair she smiled weakly at him, and strangest of all, Artie thought, were Pete and Myka who were sitting together, holding hands. Artie snapped out of it when he realized they were waiting. Slowly Artie set the canister down and simply dropped the music box inside.

There was a static discharge and a strange weight left everyone's shoulders. Leena smiled and shook her head before leaning back and falling asleep. Myka sighed and laid her head on Pete's shoulder, Artie could swear he saw Pete kiss the top of her head out of the corner of his eye. Artie started as he saw Claudia standing next to him with teary eyes.

"Can I hug you?" She asked, still managing to be rueful despite the emotion in her voice. Artie breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. Claudia gave Artie a bone-crushing hug, and he held her back petting her hair and telling her not to worry. Artie knew that no matter what happened the five of them would bounce back as they always had before.

-The End-


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